Where to stay in Meribel

Méribel itself is the biggest and best-known holiday resort in the valley, stretching from 1,450m in the town centre to 1,700m at the Altiport. Some people refer to the main town of Méribel as Méribel Centre. And, although Méribel is a village, it should not be confused with Méribel Village itself.

Who should stay in Méribel Centre?

The town centre is ideal if you want to stay at the heart of the action, close to the slopes, ski schools, bars and nightclubs. There are several hot spots in and around Méribel Centre, each offering something different.

At the entrance to the resort, the original village of Mussillon offers authentic, vintage chalets as well as swanky new ones. Also close to the town centre is La Chaudanne, the main lift and piste hub and ski school meeting point, while a 10 minute walk above the centre of town is Morel, based around a traditional hamlet with both traditional and new chalets. Just above Morel is Altitude 1600, with its own chairlift, bars, shops and restaurants.

Higher still are Le Plateau and Le Rond Point, offering large apartment residences and hotels conveniently close to slopes, shops and restaurants. At the top of the resort is super-chic Le Belvédère, an area boasting luxury chalets and hotels. Higher still, and separate from the rest of the resort is the Altiport. This is a quiet and charming wooded area with self-catered apartments and one hotel. The Altiport has its own restaurant and shops and is located by the nursery slopes.

Note that some tour operators will advertise accommodation in Méribel, meaning the Méribel Valley rather than in Méribel itself (nerdy side note: although the Méribel Valley is usually called just that, it is more correctly known as Les Allues Valley).

Méribel Mottaret (1,700m-1,800m) is a separate, purpose-built resort dating from the 1970s. It shares Méribel’s chalet-style architecture but most of its accommodation is in the form of large apartment residences and hotels.

Who should stay in Méribel Mottaret?

Anyone, really. The village is mostly car-free and much of the accommodation is ski-in/ski-out. It has a good selection of bars and restaurants, though perhaps not quite such a lively après-ski scene as Méribel. Mottaret, like Méribel, has an excellent lift system but is even better placed for quick access to the high skiing at the head of the valley and in Val Thorens.

Méribel Village (1400m) was transformed from a sleepy village to a charming small ski resort when it gained a chairlift in the 1990s. Although only five minutes by car or bus from Méribel, it has its own centre with shops, bars and restaurants.

Who should stay in Méribel Village?

The chalets and apartments here are generally of a very high standard and it is a popular destination for those who prefer a tranquil village atmosphere. The single highspeed chairlift links to the Altiport ski area above Méribel, from where an easy blue run returns to the village.

Les Allues (1,100m) is a large village with year-round life. It has charming new and old chalets, as well as some apartments and hotel accommodation, plus a couple of bars and several restaurants. 

It is linked to the ski area by the Olympe gondola lift and the free Meribus service. It is possible to ski back to Les Allues via a blue ski run, though this usually closes before the end of the ski season due to its lower altitude.

Who should stay in Les Allues?

If you want to experience a slice of true Savoyard life, this is the place to stay. There are several hamlets in the valley which offer traditional chalets and an authentic village atmosphere. Of these, only Le Raffort is linked by lift to the ski area. Nantgerel and Chandon are linked to Méribel by the Meribus service. If you are staying in any of the other villages, such as Le Plantin or Villaret, you will need a vehicle to get around.

Brides-les-Bains (600m) is a spa town at the bottom of the valley linked with Méribel by the Olympe gondola lift.

Who should stay in Brides-les-Bains?

Hotel and apartment accommodation is relatively inexpensive, making it popular with those on a budget. The Olympe lift takes around 25 minutes to reach Méribel Centre and stops running at the end of the skiing day – if you want to enjoy Méribel’s après-ski, you will need to take a taxi back down the valley. It is not possible to ski back to Brides, except off-piste during exceptionally snowy periods. In March, the ‘curistes’ (spa visitors) return to Brides, resulting in an eclectic mix of clientele – fit skiers rubbing shoulders with the arthritic and overweight.

If you're searching for luxury accommodation in Meribel, you're in luck! The resort offers plenty of high-end options, many of which feature private swimming pools, spas, hot tubs and even cinema rooms.

Luxury chalets and apartments in Meribel

Le Belvedere is Méribel Centre's upmarket neighbourhood. Far from the hustle and bustle of the centre, it boasts excellent piste access from its luxury chalets and apartments. Méribel also boasts a couple of gated communities favoured by the rich and famous filled with top end chalets: Le Domaine de Burgin, Les Brames and Les Chalets. For luxury apartments, Méribel Village is another good choice.

Five star hotels in Meribel

Méribel has a few five-star hotels including Le Kaila which was the resort's first luxury establishment while Le Coucou was opened at the start of 2020 in the upmarket Le Belvedere neighbourhood. They both boast stunning spas, gourmet restaurants and cosy but opulent bedrooms with plush beds and panoramic mountain views.

High snow-capped peaks, deep luscious forests, white snow-filled fields and cosy wooden chalets with roaring fires – a ski break can be the most romantic of holidays. 

In Meribel, you’ll be able to make all your fairytale escapade dreams come true.

All of the Méribel towns offer the quintessentially picturesque Alpine holiday. Picture large, modern ski chalets nestled between the trees where you can relax in the hot tub at the end of a hard day on the pistes and enjoy wonderful panoramic mountain views.

Groups have very specific needs, namely a big enough space and easy access to the slopes and the resort's amenities.

Large apartments and chalets for groups

All around the Méribel Valley, you'll find chalets and apartments accommodating up to 10 people and more. However, if you want to impress your guests or you want your group of friends to make the most of what Méribel has to offer, staying in the centre is key. Try La Chaudanne for its closeness to the pistes or Le Plateau-Le Rond Point for the selection of bars and restaurants.

When travelling with young children, you ideally want to stay somewhere that has lots of facilities and services nearby so that you don't have to travel long distances to get to the slopes or the restaurants.

Méribel Centre is the best place for piste access and to be near the ski schools, especially the Chaudanne area, while the Altiport is a good choice for those looking for a quiet spot near Méribel Centre's amenities. Also popular with families is Méribel Village because of its slower pace of life.

Méribel has a huge number of catered chalets and self-catered apartments on offer, many of which are on the affordable end of the spectrum. In general, the further away from the centre you get, the cheaper the prices are.

The modern, purpose-built centre of La Tania offers some nice but affordable apartments. This is where most of the local community lives year-round, so there are plenty of services available here, including bars, restaurants and shops.

Bride-les-Bains is undoubtedly the cheapest place to stay in the area. It offers direct access to Méribel via the Olympe gondola and has a couple of bars and restaurants but it's world's away from Méribel Centre's lively atmosphere. Those willing to pay a bit more can try Les Allues and Méribel 1600.

Ski-to-door accommodation is very popular in Méribel, which means that it gets booked out quite quickly. Prices are also usually more expensive than the accommodation a bit further away from the slopes. However, there's no greater feeling than arriving at your doorstep with your skis on, so get on booking as soon as you can if you want to experience it yourself.

Méribel Mottaret was built as a car-free, ski-in and ski-out resort so many of its apartment buildings can be accessed from the pistes. In Méribel Centre, it's the upmarket areas like Le Belvedere and Les Chalets that are as close to living on the actual runs as possible. La Chaudanne, where the snow front is located, also offers a decent selection of apartments and hotels near the slopes.

There's a campsite and a couple of motorhome areas in Méribel and its surrounding area. Although most are open only in the summer, there's a few open in the winter and even during the off-season – it's better to enquire before you book.

There are no campsites in Méribel itself. The closest one is located in the spa town os Brides-les-Bains and is open from April to October only. 

Where to park a motorhome or campervan in Méribel?

France is famous for its well-equipped motorhome areas or 'aires de camping-car' and Méribel is no exception. The closest motorhome area is located by Le Martagon restaurant. This paid-for area known as 'Caravaneige' offers a bar, a laundry room, electricity and water. There's also a free motorhome area on the Parking du Saz, in La Tania.